The present invention relates generally to hosiery, and more particularly, is directed to a stocking having an open end which can be folded back to expose the toes for a pedicure.
Sheer stockings made of a stretchable fabric material, such as nylon, are commonly worn by women to enhance the appearance of their legs and to hide various aspects of their legs, such as varicose veins, unsightly scars, dimples or fatty deposits. However, in order to receive a pedicure, the woman must remove her stockings. Not only is this inconvenient, but also, can cause possible embarrassment to the woman.
It is known to provide pantyhose with open toe portions, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,129 to Baehr and U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 358,703 to Moffre et al.
In the Baehr patent, the foot portion is cut away at the front end and terminates in a forward edge which is spaced rearwardly from the wearer""s toes. Accordingly, all of the wearer""s toes extend through the open front end of the foot portion and are always exposed in use. A stretchable band is also secured at the front end, while still providing that the toes are always exposed in use. However, because the toes are always exposed, this pantyhose could not be used with open toed shoes, that is, since the toes are always exposed. Further, the necessity to secure the stretchable band to the hosiery further complicates the manufacturing process and adds to the cost of the product.
It is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,537 to Ewing to provide hosiery with detachable foot sections held to the leg portions by elastic means. This, however, also complicates the manufacturing process and adds to the cost of the product. Further, after the foot portions are removed and the woman receives a pedicure, the entire foot portion must be pulled up over the foot. This means that the material of the entire foot portion is dragged over the freshly painted nails, which could cause chipping of the nail polish.
It is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,181,982 to Segovia to provide a stocking with a convertible toe opening. However, this stocking requires a separate outer band and a separate inner band, both of which are secured to the sides of the foot enclosing portion by a seam. This stocking, while providing a similar effect to the present invention, requires two separate bands which must be secured together at a common seam to the foot enclosing portion. This, however, also complicates the manufacturing process and adds to the cost of the product.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a stocking that overcomes the problems with the aforementioned prior art.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a stocking which can be folded back to expose a person""s toe or entire foot.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a stocking that is comfortable to wear.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a stocking that need not be fully removed in order for a person to receive a pedicure.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a stocking which is formed from a single piece of tubular stretch material that is merely folded over itself and sewn in position, without adding appreciable thickness.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a stocking that is relatively inexpensive and easy to manufacture, without greatly adding to the cost of the product.
In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a stocking to be worn on a foot of a person, includes a tube of thin stretch material having a main body and an end portion which forms a continuation of the main body. The end portion has a first open end and the main body has a second open end opposite the first open end. Each of the main body and the end portion have opposite first and second side edges when the main body and the end portion, respectively, are flattened. The end portion is folded back onto the main body along a fold line such that the opposite first and second side edges of the end portion are substantially in alignment with the respective opposite first and second side edges of the main body. A securing arrangement is connected between the first side edges of the main body and the end portion and between the second side edges of the main body and the end portion such that the first open end of the end portion remains open.
Preferably, the securing arrangement includes stitches which connect together the first side edges of the main body and the end portion and which connect together the second side edges of the main body and the end portion. In one embodiment, the stitching is spaced slightly inwardly from the first and second side edges of the main body. The tube is preferably made from a nylon material.
In one embodiment, the end portion is positioned to a bottom of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot, and in another embodiment, the end portion is positioned to a top of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot.
The end portion includes opposing first and second layers between the first and second side edges thereof, and the main body includes opposing third and fourth second layers between the first and second side edges thereof. The first through third layers are all positioned in overlying relation to each other at either the bottom or top of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in covering relation to toes of the foot, and the fourth layer is positioned in overlying relation to the other of the bottom and top of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in covering relation to the toes of the foot. In one embodiment, the first through third layers are all positioned in overlying relation to each other at the bottom of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in covering relation to toes of the foot, and the fourth layer is positioned in overlying relation to the top of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in covering relation to the toes of the foot. In another embodiment, the first through third layers are all positioned in overlying relation to each other at the top of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in covering relation to toes of the foot, and the fourth layer is positioned in overlying relation to the bottom of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in covering relation to the toes of the foot.
Further, the first and third layers are both positioned in overlying relation to each other at either the bottom or top of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in a manner to expose toes of the foot, and the second and fourth layers are both positioned in overlying relation to each other at the other of the bottom and top of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in a manner to expose toes of the foot. In one embodiment, the first and third layers are both positioned in overlying relation to each other at the bottom of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in a manner to expose the toes of the foot, and the second and fourth layers are both positioned in overlying relation to each other at the top of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in a manner to expose the toes of the foot. In another embodiment, the first and third layers are both positioned in overlying relation to each other at the top of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in a manner to expose the toes of the foot, and the second and fourth layers are both positioned in overlying relation to each other at the bottom of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in a manner to expose the toes of the foot.
In accordance with an another aspect of the present invention, a method is provided for exposing at least toes of a foot of a person with a stocking worn on the foot, without completely removing the stocking. In this case, the stocking is of a type including a tube of thin stretch material having a main body and an end portion which forms a continuation of the main body, the end portion having a first open end and the main body having a second open end opposite the first open end, each of the main body and the end portion having opposite first and second side edges when the main body and the end portion, respectively, are flattened, the end portion being folded back onto the main body along a fold line such that the opposite first and second side edges of the end portion are in alignment with the respective opposite first and second side edges of the main body, the end portion including opposing first and second layers between the first and second side edges thereof, and the main body including opposing third and fourth layers between the first and second side edges thereof, and a securing arrangement connected between the first side edges of the main body and the end portion and between the second side edges of the main body and the end portion such that the first open end of the end portion remains open. The method includes the steps of positioning the stocking on the foot of the person such that the first through third layers are all positioned in overlying relation to each other at either the bottom or top of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in covering relation to toes of the foot, and the fourth layer is positioned in overlying relation to the other of the bottom and top of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in covering relation to the toes of the foot; and then stretching the first layer of the end portion around the toes of the foot to the other of the bottom and top of the foot in overlying relation to the fourth layer to expose the toes of the foot.
In one embodiment, the step of positioning includes the step of positioning the stocking on the foot of the person such that the first through third layers are all positioned in overlying relation to each other at the bottom of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in covering relation to toes of the foot, and the fourth layer is positioned in overlying relation to the top of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in covering relation to the toes of the foot, and the step of stretching includes the step of stretching the first layer of the end portion around the toes of the foot to the top of the foot in overlying relation to the fourth layer to expose the toes of the foot.
In another embodiment, the step of positioning includes the step of positioning the stocking on the foot of the person such that the first through third layers are all positioned in overlying relation to each other at the top of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in covering relation to toes of the foot, and the fourth layer is positioned in overlying relation to the bottom of the foot when the stocking is worn on the foot in covering relation to the toes of the foot, and the step of stretching includes the step of stretching the first layer of the end portion around the toes of the foot to the bottom of the foot in overlying relation to the fourth layer to expose the toes of the foot.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.